. >>> it is a question posed by candidate ronald reagan. over three decades ago. >> are you better off than you were four years ago? >> and it's a message the candidates are still actually using today. >> the president has no record to run on. in fact, every president since the great depression who asked americans to send them into a second term could say that you are better off today than you were four years ago, except for jimmy carter and for president barack obama. >> if people think they're better off, i would say, well, take a look at the numbers when it comes to median household income, which is down every year for the last four years. >> the obama administration, however, is taking the other side. >> you want to know whether we're better off. i got a little bumper sticker for you. osama bin laden is dead and general motors is alive! >> bloomberg business week took a look at that very question in this week's election issue asking about the price of your food, the value of your home and your paycheck. staff writer took the question to